Life satisfaction in the retirement: A case of Bursa

Abstract

In recent years, the direction of changes in the demographic structures has pointed towards an increased human life span, particularly in developed countries. On the one hand, this phenomenon has led to a decrease in population of those who are of working age and a corresponding, rapid increase in the number of retirees. On the other hand, this process-a consequence of aging-has also brought with it a number of economic and psychosocial problems. Several factors must be considered for a person to be happy, to enjoy life, and to improve the quality of life. In the field of human sciences, including the social sciences, life satisfaction is an important goal of retired individuals. As this is also related to the intellectual capital of a country, researchers have found that studying the life satisfaction of the retired members of society is of great importance. In this study, 336 retirees who were over 65 years of age and living in Bursa City were selected randomly and their life satisfaction was investigated. Results showed that an active social life led to a higher life satisfaction rate among this population.